Pope Leo XIV starred this Monday in a historic day at Congress by becoming the first Pontiff to formally address deputies and senators in the Lower House. The institution received him with state honors, the performance of the National Police symphonic band, and a prolonged ovation.
The Pontiff left the Apostolic Nunciature in Madrid in an official vehicle and arrived at the Palace of Congress, where he was awaited, at street level, by the president of the Lower House, the socialist Francina Armengol, and the president of the Senate, the 'popular' Pedro Rollán.
After the initial greeting, they accessed the Floridablanca Courtyard, solemnly decorated and with an extensive red carpet. There, the highest representatives of the other two powers of the State were waiting: the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez; the president of the Supreme Court and the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), Isabel Perelló; and the president of the Constitutional Court, Cándido Conde-Pumpido.
The scene was followed by Congress staff and neighbors from Carrera de San Jerónimo and nearby balconies, who broke the institutional silence with applause and cheers of "Long live the Pope!", accompanying the procession's advance.
Official Honors, Anthems, and Maceros
One of the most solemn moments occurred when the National Police Symphonic Band performed the anthems of Vatican City and Spain.
Next, preceded by the maceros, the Pope and the authorities entered the Palace of Congress to proceed to the Hall of Lost Steps. There, Leo XIV greeted the members of the Bureaus of Congress and the Senate, the leader of the main opposition party and president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and the spokespersons of the different parliamentary groups of both Chambers.
All groups were present, with the exception of two formations from the Mixed Group: Podemos and the BNG. The former justified their absence by considering that the Pope continues to be "complicit" in the abuses within the Catholic Church, while the Galician nationalists reject that a non-denominational State grants this type of institutional recognition to a religious leader. In any case, Leo XIV's visit was formally structured in his capacity as head of state of Vatican City, and not as a spiritual authority, in coherence with the non-denominational character established by the Spanish Constitution.
Petition in Catalan and Signing the Book of Honor
During the greetings, the spokesperson for Junts in Congress, Miriam Nogueras, shook the Pope's hand and, in English, asked him to speak in Catalan during his upcoming visit to Barcelona. "Like Gaudí, I am catalan," she stated. Minutes later, the spokesperson for Junts in the Senate, Eduard Pujol, reiterated the same request, this time in Italian.
After the reception, the President of Congress, Francina Armengol, invited the Pontiff to sign the Chamber's Book of Honor. "With the wish that the rights of all are always in the exercise of the legislative activity of this democratic seat of Spanish national sovereignty," the Pope wrote, signing: "Leo PP. XIV".
Immediately after, there was an exchange of gifts. Armengol presented Leo XIV with a facsimile of the manuscript Liber Horarum or Book of Hours, one of the oldest (15th century) and most valuable pieces in the Congress's bibliographic archive. For his part, the President of the Senate, Pedro Rollán, offered him the manuscript of Beatus of Liébana, a codex of Ferdinand I and Doña Sancha.
Subsequently, the delegation proceeded to the Plenary Hall. The Pope and the presidents of both Chambers entered the hemicycle via the staircase of the Order of the Day Gallery. Upon Leo XIV's entrance, the Cortes Generales received him standing with a long applause, joined by practically the entire Government—with the sole absence of Óscar Puente, who was attending an EU Transport Council.
"Ethical Obligation" and Call for a More Just World
Before yielding the floor, Armengol emphasized that it is an "ethical obligation" to heed and identify with Leo XIV's words, and took the opportunity to demand reparation and compensation for victims of abuse within the Church.
The President of Congress also called for measures to advance towards a "more just world," which, in her view, requires placing peace at the center, recovering multilateralism against "force," "unreason," and "impunity," and combating "polarization" through "listening" and "dialogue."
In his speech, Leo XIV censured the "permanent disqualification of the adversary" and defended "a just delimitation of public power."
"Within societies themselves, it is urgent to build a culture of reciprocity. Political plurality should not degenerate into permanent disqualification of the adversary. In mature coexistence, even conflict can become a path to peace," the Pontiff affirmed, among other messages.
A Seven-Minute Ovation and a Historic Day
At the conclusion of his speech, the Pope was bid farewell with a prolonged ovation of about seven minutes, accompanied by applause and new shouts of "Long live the Pope!".
The applause came from both deputies and senators, as well as from guests distributed throughout the stands. Among those who wanted to be present at this historic session were former Prime Ministers Mariano Rajoy and José María Aznar —the latter left before the event concluded—; the Chief of the Defense Staff, Admiral Teodoro Esteban López; and the Director of the Guardia Civil, Mercedes González.
Also in attendance were the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Salvador Illa; the President of the Council of State, Carmen Calvo; the Ombudsman, Ángel Gabilondo; the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida; as well as former presidents of the Congress and the Senate such as José Bono (PSOE), Esperanza Aguirre, Federico Trillo, and Ana Pastor, from the PP.
In the stands, the president of the CEOE, Antonio Garamendi; the general secretary of Comisiones Obreras, Unai Sordo; the general secretary of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, Francisco César García Magán; and the founder of Mensajeros de la Paz, Father Ángel, were also seen.
Upon leaving the building, the Pope described the reception he is receiving on his trip to Spain as "spectacular," when asked by journalists about the treatment in the country.
Again, at the doors of the Congress, a crowd gathered behind the barriers to show him their affection. Before getting into the official car, Leo XIV approached those present, shook hands, and made gestures of closeness. Furthermore, he blessed crosses and rosaries for the Congress staff who brought them to him.
Among the people, expressions such as "Thank you for coming to Spain, Holy Father" or "Your Holiness," along with numerous "Long live the Pope!" were heard, which put the finishing touch to his passage through the Lower House.
Robert Prevost has responded with greetings and smiles before accessing the official vehicle that has taken him to the headquarters of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), where he has met with the Spanish bishops.